It’s great time for small independent films: Kalki Koechlin

“It is great. There is audience for small... alternate cinema. Today there are big studios... producers willing to invest in small films. Things are changing slowly. The time is great for small independent films as these films are getting attention provided the content is good,” said Kalki.

The 31-year-old actor has been part of small budget movies like Shaitan, That Girl In Yellow Boots among others. She tasted commercial success with Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.

She is now happy balancing doing both commercial and independent small films.

“I am happy, I don’t get as many commercial films as independent small films. But I am happy I get to do both commercial and independent small films. Both the kind of films help me explore myself as an actor,” she said.

Kalki would be seen next in Mantra. It was her actor friend Rajat Kapoor who brought the idea of the film to her. “I loved the script...it is an intelligent script. Rajat Kapoor told me about this film and I made myself available for the film for ten days,” she said.

Director Nicholas Kharkongor of Mantra is going for crowd-funding for the post production of the film. The Dev D actor feels the trend of crowd-funding has a great future.

“There were producers on board...we had money but it was not enough. So, as actors we did all that we could for the film...some worked for free, some arranged meals for the cast and crew. We hope people would give money for the project. We are also spreading the word for the film,” she said.

Mantra is a story inspired by an iconic Indian brand that was struggling to hold its own against the onslaught of multinationals and was eventually bought out by one.

With the cast of Kalki, Rajat Kapoor, Shiv Pandit, Adil Hussain, Rohan Joshi and Lushin Dubey, the film is set in 2004 against the backdrop of ‘India Shining’ period.